community schools rfp 2013 - p-12 - new york state education

Community Schools Grant Initiative RFP 2013

General Questions and Answers

1. In the RFP it says, “Community Schools ensure that students and families

have access to a comprehensive suite of programs and services that include

academic enhancement, family engagement, health promotion and

healthcare, nutrition, counseling, legal, parenting skills and supports,

housing, workforce training and related job search assistance.” Does this

mean that proposed projects need to address all of these areas, or simply the

ones that are most relevant to the school district and its students?

A. Applications should include programs and services that are most

relevant to the school community.

2. Are there any format guidelines for the 2013 CSGI application? For

example, is there a required font size, margin width, minimum or maximum

number of pages for this application?

A. It is preferred that the application narrative not exceed 35 double-

spaced pages, paginated, using one-inch margins and Times New

Roman standard font in 12-point.

3. Is there a cap on the number of proposals an agency can submit? We realize

we must submit one application per school but can an agency partner with

more than one school?

A. There is no cap on the number of applications an agency can submit.

However, Pursuant to Education Law § 3641 subdivision 6-a, no

single school district may receive more than forty percent (40%) of the

$15 million available funding for this initiative. Agencies can partner

with more than one school.

4. Can you please tell me roughly how many grants you intend to award, and if

available, how many applications your office received in the last round of

funding, and of those, how many were awarded?

A. Up to $15 million from the State FY2013-14 Enacted Budget will be

available for grant awards supporting the Community Schools

initiative. Each eligible applicant may apply for a maximum allocation

of $500,000 per Community School site (with only one Community

School site per application) to be distributed over 3 years. If each

applicant is awarded $500,000, 30 grants may be awarded. This is the

first time this grant funding competition is being made available.

5. Can you please detail what I should provide in order to receive a letter of

support from the Chancellor?

A. It is up to your agency to communicate directly with the New York

City Department of Education to disuss what is required from the

Chancellor for a letter of support.

6. Is there a funding cap per individual participant?

A. There is no funding cap per individual participant.

7. Does the $500,000 maximum award per school cover a total three year period

or $500,000 each year for three years?

A. The $500,000 award per community school site will cover a three year

period.

8. Is there a list of current Community Schools, any on Long Island?

A. The Community Schools RFP is a new grant initiative. NYSED does

not have a statewide list of current community schools.

9. Is there a page length you would anticipate most applications being? Any

indication you can give would help us judge how much or how little detail to

include.




10. Do all services need to be delivered right in the school district? Or, do all

services need to be delivered specifically in the one school designated as the

“Community School”?

A. The purpose of this RFP is to deliver services at the designated

community school site.

11. Are there any expenses that cannot be funded, as long as all expenditures are

related to the proposed program?

A. All expenditures must be directly aligned with program goals and

objectives. Equipment purchases are permitted when necessary to meet

the project goals and objectives, but must not exceed 10% of the total

project budget. Additional guidance on allowable costs may be found

http://www.oms.nysed.gov/cafe/guidance/

12. The $15 million allocated for this grant in the 2013-14 state budget – is this

the only funding for all three years of the grant? In other words, is $15

million the total amount to be awarded, or do you expect to have additional

funding in future years? How much total funding do you anticipate awarding

in the CSGI, over the three years?

A. As stated in the RFP; Up to $15 million from the State FY2013-14

Enacted Budget will be available for grant awards supporting the

Community Schools initiative. Each eligible applicant may apply for a

maximum allocation of $500,000 per Community School site (with

only one Community School site per application) to be distributed over

3 years. Any additional funding will be based on availability of state

funds.

13. Does the funding need to be evenly spent over the three years of the grant?

Can it all be spent in less than three years?

A. Funding does not need to be evenly spent over the three years of the

grant. Grant funds cannot be spent in less than three years. As stated

in the RFP; each eligible applicant may apply for a maximum

allocation of $500,000 per Community School site (with only one

Community School site per application) to be distributed over 3 years.

14. If a consortium of districts applies, do we understand the RFP correctly, and

that they would have to select one site to be the Community School – i.e., they

could not select one site in each district? Or, can a consortium of districts

apply for funding for two (or more) sites, by submitting two (or more)

applications? In that case, would the consortium be eligible for more than

$500,000?

A. A consortium may propose to establish multiple sites and submit

multiple applications, utilizing the same basic programming/services

and partners; with one community school site per application. The

consortium would be eligible for more than $500,000.

http://www.oms.nysed.gov/cafe/guidance/

15. Who do we contact at the Council on Children and Families to receive the

“list of recommended public funding streams with prioritized awards made

available for Community Schools,” as mentioned on page 5 of the RFP?

A. A list of recommended public funding streams will be made available

for Community Schools after awards have been made.

16. Are consortiums preferred?

A. Bonus points will not be awarded to consortiums.

17. Why is the grant writer’s name requested on the cover page? Are there any

limitations, as to who can write applications?

A. The grant writer’s name is helpful in tracking application submissions.

There are not limitations in regard to who can write the proposal.

18. If more than one grant writer works on an application, should both names be

included on the cover page?

A. The lead grant writer’s name is sufficient. Listing multiple names is

allowable, if applicable.

19. On the cover page, is the agency (at the bottom right of the page) the

applicant agency? Or the agency of the grant writer?

A. The agency of the grant writer should be listed, if applicable.

20. On page 31 of the RFP, there is an asterisk after indirect cost; what does that

refer to?

A. Applicants should disregard the asterisk on the Three Year Budget

Summary Chart.

21. Is there a preference for programs that help all grade levels? Or is targeting

elementary, middle school or high school students acceptable?

A. The RFP does not include a preference in regard to grade levels to be

served. As stated in the RFP, within eligible school districts,

Community Schools should target the students and schools with the

greatest needs.

22. On the FS-10, what should be listed as the “Project Number” (on the final

page)? On the FS-10, what should be listed “Contract Number” (on the final

page)?

A. Applicants should leave the spaces for Project Number and Contract

Number blank. If awarded funds, those numbers will be assigned by

the State Education Department.

23. The RFP states that applicants can include planning time in their proposed

project. How much planning time is allowed, within the grant period?

A. There is no requirement for minimum or maximum planning time.

Applicants seeking to incorporate planning should do so by describing

their intended planning process so that they can meet the objectives of

the Community Schools initiative.

24. Do you anticipate a future RFP for this funding stream? If so, when?

A. At this time, there is no information about the possibility of future

funding for this grant initiative.

25. On page 2 of the rfp, the Additional Eligibility Options in NYC states that

the non-profit applying on behalf of a school district must submit a letter of

support signed by the Chancellor of the school district. Is this the Chancellor

of NYC Schools (i.e., Dennis Walcott) or the District Superintendent?

A. Dennis Walcott, the Chancellor of NYC Schools, must sign the letter

of support.

26. Is there a cap on indirect expenses – if so, what is the rate that should be

used?

A. Each school district must use the restricted indirect cost rate

calculated and assigned by the State Education Department for

2013-2014. Community-Based Organizations in New York City

must prepare budgets using an indirect cost rate of 2.6 percent.

27. What is the difference between a non-profit provider and a community-based

organization?

A. For the purpose of this RFP, a non-profit provider and a non-profit

community-based organization are synonymous. However, a

community-based organization can be a not-for-profit or a for-profit

organization.

28. Is contracting for program evaluation services an allowable grant

expenditure?

A. Yes, contracting for program evaluation services is an allowable

expense.

29. Will a list of high needs districts be published for prospective bidders?

A. The list of high needs school districts can be found at

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/accountability/2011-

12/NeedResourceCapacityIndex.pdf

30. If a group of schools decides to apply for a Community Schools Grant as a

consortium, could they rotate the location of the one Community Schools site

each year – i.e., in year 1 it is in one district, in year 2 in another district, and

in year 3 in the third district?

A. No. The location must at the same Community School site for all three

years.

31. Must sites be school-based or may they be located within a community

partner’s facility?

A. The primary purpose of this RFP is to deliver services at the

designated community school site.

32. In response to the 2013 Community Schools RFP, I'm struggling to

determine if our district (or any of our schools) is eligible. We are an average

need district but I'm not sure if we have a minimum 50% or higher

Extraordinary Needs percentage. Would you be able to point me in the right

direction to determine whether or not we are eligible or if you have access to

the eligibility list, indicate whether or not we are eligible?

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/accountability/2011-12/NeedResourceCapacityIndex.pdf

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/irs/accountability/2011-12/NeedResourceCapacityIndex.pdf

A. The list of Extraordinary Needs can be found at:

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/funding/2013-community-schools-grant-

initiative/districts-and-extraordinary-needs.html

33. Does the $500,000 distributed over 3 years have to be equally apportioned

over that time or can the budget amounts be significantly different for each

year, dependent upon need and program design?

A. The $500,000 distributed over 3 years may be equally apportioned

over that time, or the budget amounts may be significantly different for

each year, dependent upon need and program design.

34. A consortium of small, rural public school districts would like to propose a

single program where specialized service providers serve each of their sites

on alternating days (e.g., mental health providers visit district #1 on

Mondays, district #2 on Wednesdays, etc). Is this an acceptable model?

A. If a consortium of small, rural public school districts would like to

propose a single program where specialized service providers serve

each of their sites on alternating days, they would need to submit a

separate application for each community school site.

35. Is the Community School program an enrollment program or can students

and families drop in and participate in only those activities they choose?

A. The RFP does not specify whether or not students and families may

drop in and participate in only those activities they choose. However,

the community school must adopt performance benchmarks that allow

ongoing measurement of improvement in student and family well-

being based on the programs and services that are being provided.

36. The RFP indicates that mentoring is an allowable activity. Is this adult-

student mentoring or peer mentoring? Can mentoring activities take place

outside of the school?

A. The applicant must determine what type of mentoring will best suit the

goals and objectives of the program and its participants. The primary

purpose of this RFP is to deliver services at the designated community

school site.

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/funding/2013-community-schools-grant-initiative/districts-and-extraordinary-needs.html


37. Is there a minimum number of students or families that NYSED expects

to be served at each school? A maximum per capita cost?

A. There is no minimum number of students or families that NYSED

expects to be served at each school, nor a maximum per capita cost.

All costs associated with the Community Schools Grant Initiative must

be directly aligned with program goals and objectives.

38. The RFP indicates that all proposals will be scored and ranked from highest

to lowest with awards made to the highest ranking fundable applications

until all funds are expended. Does this mean there is no geographic

consideration in making awards?

A. There are not geographic considerations in making awards. Pursuant to

Education Law § 3641 subdivision 6-a, no single school district may

receive more than forty percent (40%) of the $15 million available

funding for this initiative

39. I am trying to determine if our school district is eligible to apply for the

Community Schools grant. Our District is listed as an average N/RC district,

but according to the link, the extraordinary needs percentage is between 20

and 70% - I can't find anywhere on the link that shows the extraordinary %

for each district.

A. Extraordinary Needs percentage data can be found at the following

link: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/funding/2013-community-schools-

grant-initiative/districts-and-extraordinary-needs.html

40. The RFP does not specifically reference the need to employ an external

evaluator for the purposes of program evaluation. Is the use of an external

evaluator beneficial and/or recommended?

A. Applicants must put forth a plan for qualitative and quantitative program

evaluation, which reflect progress achieved on logical, achievable,

measurable indicators of success. Contracting for program evaluation

services the choice of the applicant, and is an allowable expense.

41. The RFP on p.2. indicates that CBOs in New York City can be the lead

agencies. "As provided by law, in New York City only, non-profit

organizations (including non-profit community-based organizations) that

collaborate with the school district may apply on behalf of the New York

City school district with approval of the Chancellor of the school district.

Non-profit applicants must submit with their applications a letter of support

signed by the Chancellor." Our question is about who must must provide



the signed letter of support. Is it the Chancellor of the NYCDOE? Or can the

Superintendent of one of the local Community School Districts provide the

required letter?

A. Dennis Walcott, the Chancellor of NYC Schools, must sign the letter

of support.

42. For elementary school programs, must a not-for-profit applicant have

their SACC license for the target school in place prior to submitting their

application?

A. No. The SACC registration process must be completed prior to offering

services as part of the Community Schools Initiative.

43. What are the steps involved in pre-qualification for a not-for-profit?

A. Information regarding the pre-qualification process through the New

York State Grants Gateway can be found at:

https://grantsgateway.ny.gov/IntelliGrants_NYSGG/module/nysgg/go

portal.aspx

44. Is there priority for elementary, middle or high schools for this opportunity?

A. There is no priority for elementary, middle or high schools in this

grant opportunity.

45. Where do we find the Assurance of Joint Commitment and Collaboration

Form, or is this something each individual applicant must create?

A. The Assurance of Joint Commitment and Collaboration Form is

Attachment 4 in the RFP.

46. What is the page limit for each section, including the executive summary?

What is the page limit for the proposal?

A. It is preferred that the application narrative, including the executive

summary, not exceed 35 double-spaced pages, paginated, using one-

inch margins and Times New Roman standard font in 12-point.

https://grantsgateway.ny.gov/IntelliGrants_NYSGG/module/nysgg/goportal.aspx

https://grantsgateway.ny.gov/IntelliGrants_NYSGG/module/nysgg/goportal.aspx

47. What is the cost per child?

A. There is no required cost per child. All costs associated with the

Community Schools Grant Initiative must be directly aligned with

program goals and objectives.

48. What is the page limit for each section, including the executive summary?

What is the page limit for the proposal?

A. It is preferred that the application narrative, including the executive

summary, not exceed 35 double-spaced pages, paginated, using one-

inch margins and Times New Roman standard font in 12-point.

49. As we prepare our application for the Community School Initiative, we

would like to know if our agency can submit more than once application,

each partnering with a different school in a different school district? Is there

a limit on the number of applications one agency can submit?

A. There is no limit on the number of applications one agency can submit. Pursuant to Education Law § 3641 subdivision 6-a, no single school

district may receive more than forty percent (40%) of the $15 million

available funding for this initiative

50. Where do we find the exact Community Need % for each School district

listed on the DOE list? Average/RC but what is exact %?

A. The list of Extraordinary Needs can be found at:

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/funding/2013-community-schools-grant-

initiative/districts-and-extraordinary-needs.html

51. Please confirm that school districts DO NOT need to pre-qualify for CSGI

using the Grants Gateway. Page 21 states that they are exempt entities.

A. School districts do not need to pre-qualify for CSGI using the Grants

Gateway.

52. Is there a suggested cost per participant, or a suggested minimum number of

participants to be reached?

A. There is not a cost per participant, or a minimum number of

participants to be reached. All costs associated with the Community



Schools Grant Initiative must be directly aligned with program goals

and objectives.

53. The RFP states that there can only be one center per application, yet it allows

for a Consortium of Public School Districts to make one application. Does

that mean only one school district can be served? We have a five district

consortium. Would that mean the award maximum would be $500,000 if

we prepared one application or is it $2,500,000?



and partners, with one community school site per application. Each

application will be reviewed and scored independently—the success of

one application within the consortium does not mean that all

applications will be funded.

54. With regard to the Application Cover Page (Attachment 2), we assume the

line for “Chief School/Administrative Officer” refers to a CBO’s authorized

representative, since the CBO will administer the grant. Would you

confirm?

A. When the CBO is the lead applicant agency in New York City, the

administrative officer should sign the Application Cover page as

“Chief School/Administrative Officer”.

55. With regard to the MOU between LEAs and community partners, who is the

LEA in NYC’s case? The Community School District (Superintendent), the

school (Principal) or the NYC DOE (Chancellor)?

A. For MOUs in New York City, the LEA (Lead Education Agency) is

considered the Community School District where the proposed

community school site is located. Therefore, the District

Superintendent must sign the MOU.

56. In NYC, with regard to the Assurance of Joint Commitment and

Collaboration Form, would you confirm that the “Chief Administrative

Officer (Superintendent)” is the authorized representative of the CBO

administering the grant? And is the “Board of Education President” the

Chancellor?

A. In New York City, the following individuals should sign the

Assurance of Joint Commitment and Collaboration Form for all

applications:

Chief Administrative Officer: Chancellor Dennis Walcott

Board of Education President: N/A

Local Administrative Union President: Ernest Logan

Local Teachers Union President: Michael Mulgrew

57. With respect to the Bonus Points, can you provide information about the

State’s CORe initiative? We are having difficulty obtaining information

about what this is and thus, if communities served by our schools are

participating. In addition, the NYC Regional Council Strategic Plan refers to

“Opportunity Zones” – is this the same as “Opportunity Area” as referenced

in the RFP? If so, where can we find information that would detail the

specific geographic boundaries within the NYC Region?

A. CORe communities are the South End, West and Arbor Hill

neighborhoods of Albany and Census tracts 4 and 5 in Newburgh.

Please visit http://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/ and click on the ‘Regional

Opportunity Agenda’ button on your Regional Council’s page to see if

a local geographic area has been identified as an Opportunity Area.

Only Regional Councils with specific geographic areas will be eligible

for bonus points.

58. What data Numerator and Denominator go into Extraordinary Needs

Percentage?

A. The Numerator is the Extraordinary Needs Count and Denominator is

the public school enrollment.

59. Where can we find more guidance on completing the M/WBE Documents

and Forms?

A. Please refer to pages 23-25 and the M/WBE Documents section of the

RFP for guidance on completing the forms. You may also contact the

M/WBE Coordinator at [email protected].

mailto:[email protected]

60. What is the difference between a preliminary MOU and a final MOU?

A. A preliminary MOU may take the form of a fully signed MOU, a draft

MOU that has not been signed by all parties, or a letter of intent signed

by all parties. It must provide an overview of all partners’ involvement

in planning and program implementation. A final, fully executed MOU

provides a detailed description of each partner’s roles and

responsibilities. This final MOU may include additional partners that

were not identified in the original MOU and must be approved by

NYSED prior to the receipt of initial grant funding.

61. What is an APPR plan and how do we demonstrate/communicate that the

school district has one?

A. The New York State Board of Regents has committed to the

transformation of the preparation, support, and evaluation of all

teachers and school leaders in New York State. Chapter 21 of the

Laws of 2012 amended Education Law §3012-c to fundamentally

change the way teachers and principals are evaluated. The purpose of

the evaluation system is to ensure that there is an effective teacher in

every classroom and an effective leader in every school. The

evaluation system will also foster a culture of continuous professional

growth for educators to grow and improve their instructional practices.

It is the partner's responsibility to communicate with the school

districts to demonstrate that the school district has an approved APPR

plan.

62. Does a not-for-profit lead applicant have to do anything with respect to the

APPR plan in their proposal?

A. In New York City, if the not-for-profit is the lead applicant, it is their

responsibility to ensure APPR compliance within partnering districts.

63. How do we know if the Community School is serving a community that is

participating in the State’s CORe initiative or that has been identified as an

Opportunity Area with specific geographic boundaries within a region by a

Regional Economic Development Council? The website

provided http://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/ does not clearly articulate which

communities are participating in the State's CORE Initiative or is an

Opportunity Area.

http://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/


neighborhoods of Albany, and census tracks 4 and 5 in Newburgh.




64. If an external evaluator is hired to conduct program evaluation for the grant,

would it be appropriate to view the evaluator as a direct service provider or

would they need to be considered a subcontractor? If the latter, if the

external evaluator were a non-profit instead of an M/WBE, would we need to

completed the 101 and 105 forms?

A. An external evaluator would be considered a subcontractor. If an

applicant determines that they must request a waiver of the M/WBE

participation goals, they should submit a Request for Waiver (Form

101), which includes documentation of the applicant’s good faith

efforts to use certified M/WBE subcontractors. Applicants will be

required to certify and attest to their good faith efforts by completing

NYSED’s Certification of Good Faith Efforts (Form 105). Consistent

with existing state law and procedures, school districts that contract

with not-for-profits (that do not in turn subcontract to for-profit

entities) for the purposes of this grant can seek and, as appropriate, are

expected to receive a waiver from the M/WBE goals.

65. If the district would like to use BOCES to provide targeted professional

development for its staff, would such an expense need to adhere to M/WBE

rules, i.e. such an expense would not be excluded from the M/WBE

calculation?

A. The M/WBE percentage goals are applied to the entire budget for the

three-year grant, excluding any expenses budgeted for personal

services and related fringe benefits, and indirect costs. Applicants

should complete and submit the Calculation of M/WBE Goal form

found in the M/WBE Documents section of the RFP to determine the

actual M/WBE goal dollar amount. The M/WBE Coordinator is

available throughout the process to assist applicants in meeting the

M/WBE goals.

66. Are projects related to physical activity services or obesity

prevention/reduction allowable?

A. Projects related to physical activity services or obesity

prevention/reduction may be allowable if they are considered additional supports for students and families designed to counter

environmental factors that impede student achievement, student

engagement or other factors identified in the grant application.

67. How is “equipment” defined? How are “supplies and materials defined”?

Are there spending thresholds associated with each definition?

A. Equipment is defined as having a unit cost of $5,000 or more. Items

under $5,000 should be considered Supplies and materials. All

expenditures must be directly aligned with program goals and objectives.

Equipment purchases are permitted when necessary to meet the project

goals and objectives, but must not exceed 10% of the total project budget.

68. What are the formatting requirements for the CSGI application?

Specifically, are there any page limitations? Are there font size or type

requirements? What are the spacing requirements?




69. If districts form a consortium to apply but only one of the districts is eligible

for bonus points – does the entire application earn bonus points or no?

A. If applicable, bonus points will be awarded to the lead agency that

submits the CSGI proposal.

70. I was not able to find information regarding our district’s eligibility for

bonus points at the URL provided in the RFP. Can you provide links clearly

identifying those districts (or zip codes) which are considered “Opportunity

Areas” or “NYS CORe” participant? Or, Can you provide contact

information at the relevant agency for this information?






71. In the CSGI RFP you mention that there is a list of recommended public

funding streams with prioritized awards for Community Schools and to

reach out to the Council on Children and Families for said list. We were told

by the Council to post all CSGI related questions to NYSED. As such we

would like to request a copy of the list of public funding streams for

community schools referenced on page 5 of the RFP.

A. Information on prioritized funding opportunities will be provided to

community school grantees following the selection process.

72. Fees are usually charged to community-based organizations by the NYC

Department of Education for providing building access and facility

operations before and after school, as well as on weekends. When approved

community-based organizations apply, who will be responsible for expenses

related to “opening fees” at school buildings in NYC? Do fees for school

building access need to be budgeted in the Community Schools submission or

will some other mechanism be used to cover these costs?

A. Applicants should discuss building access and facility operations,

including “opening fees”, with school leadership prior to submitting

the CSGI application. If the community-based organization will be

required to pay the fees, the cost should be budgeted in the application.

73. For other extended hours programs in NYC front desk security and

janitorial services are provided by the school. Should we assume the same

structure for Community Schools or do we need to budget full security and

janitorial services for the non-school-day hours when the program is in

operation?

A. Applicants should discuss building access and facility operations,

including front desk security and janitorial services, with school

leadership prior to submitting the CSGI application. If the

community-based organization will be required to pay the costs, they

should be budgeted in the application.

74. Has a process been established to attain support from the NYC Chancellor?

A. NYCDOE has established a deadline of September 3 to submit

"request for partnership" form. NYC CBOs should email

[email protected] in order to receive the

form.


75. How will CBO lead applicants in New York City attain necessary signatures

from the DOE?

A. CBOs must submit proposals to the NYC DOE by September 11th

. The

DOE will acquire necessary signatures and will notify the CBO when

proposals have been signed and are ready to be picked up, prior to the

RFP submission date of September 18th

.

76. Is there a prescribed level of detail that should be included in all MOUs, or

only those for lead partners? Should performance expectations and

accountability be included in all preliminary MOUs?

A. A preliminary MOU must minimally establish the roles and

responsibilities of each partner/consortium member; proposed

strategies for communication and collaboration; and methods

partners/consortium members will employ to hold one another

accountable for performance. Performance expectations and

accountability are not required to be included in all preliminary

MOUs.

77. For the “Attachment 4: Assurance of Joint Commitment and Collaboration

Form,” in NYC who are the intended signatories? Should the Chancellor or

the Community School District Superintendent in the targeted school district

sign as “Chief Administrative Officer?” Who is the intended signatory for

“Board of Education President” in NYC? Are the “Local Administrators”

for the administrators’ and teachers’ unions citywide officials or union

leaders at the Community School District level?

A. In New York City, the following individuals should sign the Assurance

of Joint Commitment and Collaboration Form for all applications:





78. In the interest of saving time at the start of a the school year, can

“Attachment 4: Assurance of Joint Commitment and Collaboration Form” be

reformatted so that each signatory signs a separate piece of paper with the

same assurance rather than passing one piece of paper around to the offices

of four signatories?

A. Each signatory may sign a separate Assurance of Joint Commitment and

Collaboration Form, but all forms with original signatures must be

submitted with the CSGI application.

79. How many pages is the narrative? Is there guidance for the length of each

section? Should the grant be single or double spaced? What is the preferred

font?




80. Should the allocation be distributed equally of the three years of the grant?

A. Funding does not need to be evenly spent over the three years of the

grant.

81. How much time is allowed for planning and implementation upon award?

A. All grantees are expected to begin some enhanced service delivery

during the 2013-14 school year. Applicants seeking to incorporate a

timeline that reflects planning should do so by describing their intended

planning process and potential partners so that they can meet the grant

objectives.

82. What defines grant period?

A. Grants will be for a term of up to three years, anticipated to begin on

or before December 1, 2013, and to end June 30, 2016. Within this

term there will be three program periods: December 1, 2013 through

June 30, 2014; July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015; and July 1, 2015

through June 30, 2016.

83. When will awards be made?

A. Awards will be made when scoring of the applications has been

completed and all necessary approvals are in place, with the intent for

programs to begin on or before December 1, 2013.

84. I am working with two districts that qualify for this funding opportunity.

The Districts are engaged in a centralization study and the binding

referendum is slated for October of this year. Should the Districts apply

together, would both Districts be eligible for $500,000 in funding each? The

partners are interested in working with both Districts, however with the

binding centralization vote occurring after the grant deadline, we are

uncertain how to write prepare a proposal: should we assume a positive

outcome and present the two districts coming together as one in the second

year of the grant? Would this reduce funding in year two? The same number

of students would still be served. Option 2 might be: prepare the grant as

two stand alone districts working together in the grant with impact of the

centralization vote to be determined upon outcome of vote and award of the

grant?

A. The Districts may choose to form a consortium and may propose to

establish multiple sites and submit multiple applications, utilizing the

same basic programming/services and partners, with one community

school site per application. Each community school site is eligible for

a maximum of $500,000 over a three year period.

85. For nonprofit applicants in New York City, the CSGI rfp requires approval

and a letter of support from the Chancellor of the school district. Does this

refer to the superintendent of the school district, or to the NYCDOE

Chancellor?

A. Dennis M. Walcott, the Chancellor of NYC Schools, must sign the

letter of support.

86. In addition, Attachment 4: Assurance of Joint Commitment and

Collaboration Form includes the signature of the Board of Education

president. For NYC applicants, is this the citywide Board of Education

president, or the district-level Community Education Council president?

A. In New York City, all applicants must have the following individuals

sign Attachment 4: Assurance of Joint Commitment and Collaboration

Form:





87. Will extra points be awarded for a high needs district versus an average

needs district with a greater than 50% Extraordinary Needs percentage? Or

are they viewed as equal for the purposes of the application?

A. High needs school districts will not receive extra points. They will be

viewed as equal for the purpose of the application.

88. Is the applicant district considered a site no matter how many schools are

included?

A. No, each community school site is the physical location where services

will be provided.

89. If a consortium of districts applies, will all districts be considered as one

site? Can activities proposed in the application take place in any of the

schools in the various districts as long as the schools are identified in the

application?



and partners, with one community school site per application. Each

application will be reviewed and scored independently—the success of

one application within the consortium does not mean that all will be

funded.

90. Can a district or consortium submit more than one application on behalf of

different schools in each application?

A. A consortium may submit multiple applications, utilizing the same

basic programming/services and partners, with one community school

site per application. Each application will be reviewed and scored

independently—the success of one application within the consortium

does not mean that all will be funded.

91. What documentation is needed to demonstrate that a community has been

identified as an Opportunity Area by a Regional Economic Development

Council?

A. Please visit http://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/ and click on the ‘Regional


a local geographic area has been identified as an Opportunity Area. If

applicable, a map or written explanation of the Community School

site’s location within the Opportunity Area would provide sufficient

documentation.

92. Can individual schools apply for the grant listed above?

A. The school district must apply on behalf of an individual school.

93. We intend to apply as a consortium of school districts. Do we need to

develop an MOU specific to the consortium in addition to the required

program MOU or would the consortium members be part of the program’s

MOU with all partners?

A. The consortium members should be part of the program’s MOU with

all partners.

94. We understand that each partner should have an active role in planning,

technical support and service provision for the program. In the case of a

consortium of several school districts, would each consortium member be

required to have a role in service delivery at the specific CS site (even if it’s

not in that school district) or would being involved in planning and ongoing

meetings/strategies for support, improvement and/or evaluation for the

program and its services be sufficient?

A. Consortium members should be involved in planning and ongoing

meetings/strategies for support, improvement and/or evaluation for the

program and services at the community school site.

95. The budget is for the first project period of 12/1/13-6/30/14. Should we

submit a budget identifying costs for 6 months of programming, or should we

develop our full year budget and submit that?

A. Applicants must complete an FS-10 Budget Form that identifies costs

for only the first project period, December 1, 2013 through June 30,

2014. Applicants must also complete the Three-Year Budget Summary

Chart and provide a budget narrative for the entire grant period that

details expenses for each program year.

96. May a school be a lead agent on one application and part of a consortium of

schools on another application (if they are not the lead agent)?

A. The district, not an individual school, may be the lead agency. A

district may be a lead agent on one application and part of a

consortium of districts on another application. Only one grant per

community school site is allowable.

97. As described in the first bullet on page 9 of the application instructions

regarding MOUs between Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and community

partners, does a non-profit organization applying on behalf of a school, stand

as the equivalent to a LEA for purposes of this requirement?

A. In New York City only, a non-profit organization can apply as the lead

fiscal agent. If the agency is applying as such, it is held to the same

requirements as LEAs in regard to the Memorandums of

Understanding outlined on Page 9 of the RFP.

98. In “Attachment 2: Application Cover Page”, when a nonprofit is applying on

behalf of a school, should one of the officers of the nonprofit board sign this

document under “Authorized Signature”?

A. The nonprofit’s Administrative Officer must sign the Application

Cover Page.

99. In “Attachment 2: Application Cover Page”, should the Grant Writer /

Agency be the same person as the Authorized Signature of the “Applicant

Agency”, or the specific grant staff name that wrote the grant document?

A. The Grant Writer / Agency name should refer to the specific individual

who wrote the grant document.

100. Where can we find the FS-10 Budget Form as highlighted in “Attachment

1: Application Checklist”?

A. All required fiscal forms are locate at the following link:

http://www.oms.nysed.gov/cafe/forms/

101. Logistically, how are applicants to address the 20% M/WBE target (and

paperwork requirements associated with the grant application) and still

comply with their organizational procurement policy (which is subject to

audits by the State Comptroller)?

A. Applicants can comply with NYSED’s Minority and Women-Owned

Business Enterprises (M/WBE) participation goals for this grant

through one of three methods. (See pages 23- 25 of the RFP for an

outline of these methods.) Applicants should find ways to meet the

goals that are not in conflict with their own organizations’

http://www.oms.nysed.gov/cafe/forms/

procurement policies. The M/WBE Coordinator is available

throughout the grant process to assist in all areas of compliance and

can be reached at [email protected].

102. Given that in NYC applications will be accepted from nonprofit

organizations who are unlikely to be aware of what other applications are

being submitted from within the NYC school district, how are the NYC

proposals expected to address the question regarding identifying which

schools will be supported within the district?

A. Non-profit organizations (including non-profit community-based

organizations) in New York City that collaborate with the school

districts should discuss the schools being supported in the specific

CSGI application that they are submitting.

103. Could you please clarify the requirement for the nonprofit applicant to be

“an active member of the consortium?”

A. The nonprofit organization must work in ongoing, active collaboration

with the school district and other consortium members to plan and

implement the Community School Grant Initiative.

104. Are the worker’s compensation and disability benefits documents not

required? Does it only pertain to districts that plan to contract with an

outside agency to deliver services? Are they required of all partners a

district plans to work with, to provide services to students?

A. All applicants (school districts and nonprofits), if granted an award,

must provide proof of workers' compensation and disability insurance

coverage. We do not request proof of coverage from subcontractors.

Each member in a consortium is required to provide proof of coverage,

if granted an award.

105. Can we hand-deliver applications to NYSED?

A. Applications may be hand-delivered or submitted via postal mail to the

following address:

New York State Education Department

Grants Management Office, 464 EBA

89 Washington Avenue

Albany, New York 12234


Attn: Betsy Kenney, Office of Student Support Services

Mailed applications must be postmarked by September 18, 2013.

106. What does “co-located” mean? (As on page 1 of the RFP, “…community

hubs to deliver co-located or school-linked academic, health….”) Can you

describe examples?

A. Co-located means located or delivered on the same premises as the

school. For example, a school health clinic may be located on school

grounds.

107. What does “school-linked” mean? (As on page 1 of the RFP, “…community

hubs to deliver co-located or school-linked academic, health….”) Can you

describe examples?

A. School-linked means services that are delivered in coordination with

the school but that may not be permanently housed on school

premises.

108. Where do we find information on individual district participation in the

State’s CORe Initiative?



109. Is there a list of Opportunity Areas identified by the specific regions of the

Regional Economic Development Council? The Capital District Region

does have two areas identified in a document found here:

http://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/assets/documents/regionalopportunities/capit

alregionopportunityagenda.pdf but the Mohawk Valley Region, for

example, does not publish a similar document.

A. Please visit http://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/ and click on the ‘Regional



110. Although our district is considered a distressed area and was eligible to

apply for the designation, the municipality did not apply and the

opportunity has passed. So, that leaves any school districts in distressed

areas whose municipalities chose not to apply for this designation at a

http://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/assets/documents/regionalopportunities/capitalregionopportunityagenda.pdf

http://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/assets/documents/regionalopportunities/capitalregionopportunityagenda.pdf

significant disadvantage with regard to this community schools application.

Is there any way that there can be consideration given to distressed areas

whose municipalities did not apply for this designation?

A. School districts that meet the eligibility requirements in the RFP are

able to apply for the Community School Grant Initiative. The RFP

enables school districts to document their need for community school

services.

111. Is the Community Schools Initiative Grant ONLY for non profit businesses

and programs? I have a sole proprietorship that operates in the Bronx and

surrounding boroughs and gives tutoring programs, staff development and

parent workshops for Early Childhood and Afterschool programs, and

wants to start a mentoring program also?

A. As stated in the RFP:; “as provided by law, in New York City only,

non-profit organizations (including non-profit community-based

organizations) that collaborate with the school district may apply on

behalf of the New York City school district with approval of the

Chancellor of the school district.” Grant recipients may choose to

partner with or engage the services of for-profit businesses, but for-

profit entities may not apply for the grant.

112. If a lead applicant elects to use the consortium structure and some of the

partners of that consortium are otherwise funded (i.e. will not be receiving

funds through the 2013 Community Schools grant), is it necessary for those

partners to be included in the MOU and Assurance of Joint Commitment

& Collaboration documentation?

A. All partners and consortium members must be included in the MOU.

Consortium applicants must submit a signed Assurance of Joint

Commitment and Collaboration Form for each member of the

consortium.

113. If a lead applicant elects to use the consortium structure and includes

several public schools with school-linked services, is it necessary to obtain

district superintendent signatures for each school if the schools are in

different, although adjacent, districts?

A. Outside of New York City, The District Superintendent is required to

sign the Assurance of Joint Commitment and Collaboration Form for

any community school site located within the district.

114. Is there any need to get signatures from the networks of any of the schools

that are included in the consortium?

A. All members of the consortium should sign the Memorandum of

Understanding.

115. In terms of establishing clear qualitative and quantifiable goals as well as

benchmarks (in year one as well as subsequent years), will there be

opportunities to make adjustments based on data outcomes with the

anticipated new NYS Regents assessments in ELA and Algebra I; and with

the new teacher evaluation system (assuming that teacher growth is an

identified indicator) that is being implemented beginning 2013-2014?

A. Yes, there will be opportunities to make adjustments based on data

outcomes.

116. Is there a minimum number of students that must be served under this

grant?

A. There is no minimum number of students that must be served at each

community school site.

117. As we prepare our application, we would like to know whether, in the case

of a community-based nonprofit applies as the lead agency and DOE

teacher would serve as the project's coordinator;

Would it be allowable for the nonprofit to include in the grant budget the

portion of the teacher's salary devoted to the project as a purchased service

from the school district? In other words, is there a way for the nonprofit to

pay the district for school personnel who will support the project?

Alternatively, could the nonprofit budget NYC-DOE "per session" teacher

hours as a purchased service from the district?

A. It is allowable for the nonprofit to include in the grant budget the

portion of the teacher's salary devoted to the project as a purchased

service from the school district. The nonprofit may budget NYC-DOE

"per session" teacher hours as a purchased service from the district.

118. Is the Total Budget $500,000 over the entire grant period or $500,000 for

each grant year?

A. The $500,000 is to be distributed over the three year grant period.

119. Is an Independent Evaluator required?

A. An independent evaluator is not required.

120. Does NYSED have an evaluation format prepared at this time?

A. No. As stated in the RFP, by September 1 of each year, the State

Education Department, in consultation with appropriate Council on

Children & Families member agencies and each grantee, will establish

minimum performance benchmarks required for continued funding in

the subsequent project year.

121. For non-profits that want to apply, can you clarify the eligibility criteria?

We don’t understand the language on page 2 that states “that collaborate

with the school district may apply on behalf of the New York City school

district with approval of the Chancellor of the school district.” Do we have

to apply for a school district or can we partner with just a school?

A. Non-profits in New York City must collaborate with the school district

in applying for a community school site within that district.

122. We would like more information about bonus points where “Would the

Community School serve a community that is participating in the State’s

CORe initiative or that has been identified as an Opportunity Area with

specific geographic boundaries within a region by a Regional Economic

Development Council?” Specifically,

A. Is NYC participating in the CORe Initiative?

B. Relative to CORe, is NYC as a whole considered “the community”

to be considered for bonus points or are there smaller defined

communities?

C. Is NYC one of the “Opportunity Areas” defined by REDC?






123. If two or more districts enter into a consortium for this initiative and each

has identified a school site in their district, would the consortium be able to

apply for those sites in one application or would there still need to be

separate applications for each site?

A. Separate applications are required for each community school site.

124. Regarding item 3F on page 18 prohibiting the issue of “subgrants to other

recipients.” One of our proposed partners is an institution of higher

education with experience providing education and enrichment programs

to school-aged children during the summer. Traditionally, these have been

grant-sponsored programs at the college, not tuition or fee-based

programs. Would this be considered a prohibited subgrant? In order to

conduct such a program our partner would need to cover the costs of

salaries, meals on site, supplies, and so on.

A. No. As stated in 3F on Page 18, the fiscal agent is permitted to contract

for services with other partners or consultants to provide services that

the fiscal agent cannot provide itself.

125. Can an organization apply to be a lead and also be a subcontractor with

another application?

A. Yes, an organization may apply to be a lead and also be a

subcontractor with another application.

126. Is the grant is designed for as a small number of schools in a district-as few

as 1-2?

A. The grant is designed to be manageable for districts of all sizes.

127. The grant encourages a suite of services and linkages to community

resources. Is the grantee expected to arrange services in all categories (e.g.

health, mental health, nutrition etc) or a selected number of services that

are appropriate?

A. Applicants should include programs and services that are most relevant

to the school community.

128. Is the maximum of $500,000 meant to be $500,000 per year or $500,000

split up spread out over all three years, meaning approximately $165,000

per year?

A. The award of up to $500,000 per community school site will cover a

three year period. Funds do not have to be distributed evenly in each of

the three years.

129. Does NYSED consider a building/campus with multiple schools as one

school site (i.e. one application) or as multiple schools and therefore

applications?

A. If services are to be shared among all schools in the building, a single

proposal should be submitted that reflects utilizing the same basic

programming/services and partners.

130. Is there a limit to the number of applications that one CBO can submit?

Can the Department of Education limit this number in New York City

specifically?

A. There is no limit to the number of applications one CBO can submit.

No single school district, including applications submitted by a CBO,

may receive more than forty percent (40%) of the $15 million available

funding for this initiative.

131. Can this grant be used to replace already existing funding for programs

such as school-based health centers?

A. Allowable costs include the delivery of co-located or school-linked

academic, health, mental health, nutrition, counseling, legal and/or

other services to students and their families in a manner that will lead

to improved educational and other outcomes. The grant must

supplement, not supplant, existing funding sources.

132. Can schools collaborate with more than one CBO for their application?

A. Yes, schools may collaborate with more than one CBO for their

application.

133. If a grantee has multiple funding streams, how will the students be

counted? For example, if the program has a Community Schools Grant and

a 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant, will the students who

attend afterschool count towards both grants or only one?

A. Students who attend the 21st CCLC program and receive other wrap-

around services through the community schools grant, should be

counted in both funding streams.

134. Is there a cap on evaluation services?

A. No, there is no cap on evaluation services. All expenditures must be

directly aligned with program goals and objectives.

135. Is there a cap on the cost per student?

A. No, there is no cap on the cost per student. All expenditures must be

directly aligned with program goals and objectives.

136. How will the state evaluate the efficacy of selected proposals?

A. As stated in the RFP, the State Education Department, in consultation

with appropriate Council on Children & Families member agencies

and each grantee, will establish minimum performance benchmarks

required for continued funding in the subsequent project year.

137. Is the 40% of total funding per district limit in NYC for each City School

District or for all of NYC?

A. The 40% cap is for the district of New York City, as a whole.

138. How is the MWBE requirement being applied to consultants?

A. The goal of 20% M/WBE participation is applied to the entire three-

year grant budget, including consultant costs, but not including any

portion of the grant funds budgeted for direct personal services (i.e.,

salaries) and related fringe benefits or indirect costs. Consistent with

existing state law and procedures, school districts that contract with

not-for-profits (that do not in turn subcontract to for-profit entities) for

the purposes of this grant can seek and, as appropriate, are expected to

receive a waiver from the M/WBE goals.

139. If partner organizations are providing part-time staff based on the size of

the grant, are those staff being treated as direct personnel and therefore

exempt from the MWBE requirement?

A. Only employees of the lead applicant are considered direct personal

services and should be excluded from the M/WBE goal calculation.

Staff members of partner organizations are not considered direct

personal services and, therefore, should be included in the goal

calculation. Applicants should complete and submit the Calculation of

M/WBE Goal form found in the M/WBE Documents section of the

RFP to determine the actual M/WBE goal amount.

140. Are outside evaluators subject to the MWBE requirement? What if the

preferred consultant is a not-for-profit and therefore by definition cannot

be considered a MWBE?

A. Outside evaluators are considered subcontractors and not employees of

the lead applicant. Therefore, outside evaluators should be included in

the M/WBE calculation. If an applicant determines that they must

request a waiver of the M/WBE participation goals, they should

submit a Request for Waiver (Form 101), which includes

documentation of the applicant’s good faith efforts to use certified

M/WBE subcontractors. Applicants will be required to certify and

attest to their good faith efforts by completing NYSED’s Certification

of Good Faith Efforts (Form 105). The M/WBE Coordinator is

available throughout the grant process to assist in all areas of M/WBE

compliance. Consistent with existing state law and procedures, school

districts that contract with not-for-profits (that do not in turn

subcontract to for-profit entities) for the purposes of this grant can

seek and, as appropriate, are expected to receive a waiver from the

M/WBE goals.

141. Will applications that include funding for outside evaluators be

considered?

A. Yes, applications that include funding for outside evaluators will be

considered.

142. Are there formatting guidelines for the application program narrative? Is

there a page limit for the program narrative?




143. The RFP states that applicants may only apply for one Community Schools

site per application. So if a consortium of school districts is developing a

program that calls for multiple Community Schools sites, it must prepare a

separate CSGI application for each proposed site. Is this correct?

A. Yes, if a consortium of school districts is developing a program that

calls for multiple Community Schools sites, it must prepare a separate

CSGI application for each proposed site.

144. Given the one site per application requirement, should consortia of school

districts plan to establish a single Community Schools site to serve all

consortium districts/schools (if possible)?

A. A consortium of districts may choose to submit one application for one

community school site that would serve students in multiple districts.

Alternatively, the consortium may select one site in each district and

submit multiple applications, utilizing the same basic

programming/services and partners; with one community school site

per application.

145. If a consortium plans to establish a sole Community Schools site to cover all

of its districts, is it allowable to offer some services “off-site” to address the

needs of consortium district students and families who cannot easily access

the single Community Schools site?

A. The primary purpose of this RFP is to deliver services at the

designated community school site.

146. How should applicants respond to the M/WBE requirements and complete

the M/WBE documentation forms if they are unable to establish the

vendors that will provide services and supplies for the Community Schools

program at the time of submission? Are applicants required to know the

vendors that they intend to use for CSGI project supplies and services at

the time of submission?

A. Any vendor who is providing services to the lead applicant as a

partner, in direct support of the project goals and objectives, must be

identified in the application. Those vendors who are only providing

supplies and/or materials, and who are not otherwise involved in the

planning and implementation of the project, do not have to be

identified in the application.

147. Are CBOs in NYC required to form a consortium with the district? The rfp

is confusing regarding this on page 19 where it says the CBO must be an

active member of the consortium.

A. CBOs are not required to form a consortium with a school district.

148. Are applicants required to submit M/WBE Documents Package with their

application?

A. Yes, applicants are required to submit the M/WBE Documents

package with their application.

149. Do school districts need to be concerned with the "prequalification

requirements" associated with the Grants Gateway system?

A. No, school districts do not need to be concerned with the

"prequalification requirements" associated with the Grants Gateway

system at this time.

150. How many applications may a district apply for?

A. In awarding grants, the State Education Department will first fund the

highest-scoring application for a high-need school district in each one

of the following categories based on the Department’s need/resource

capacity (N/RC) index, as delineated in the attached appendix:

(1) the New York City School District (“High N/RC: New York

City”),

(2) a high-need large city school district (“High N/RC: Large City

Districts”),

(3) a high-need urban-suburban (“High N/RC: Urban-Suburban

Districts”) or high-need rural (“High N/RC: Rural Districts”) city

school district,

(4) a high-need urban-suburban (“High N/RC: Urban-Suburban

Districts”) non-city school district, and

(5 ) a high-need rural (“High N/RC: Rural Districts”) non-city school

district .

A list of Priority Categories of High Need/Resource Capacity (N/RC)

School Districts is available at:

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/CommunitySchoolsAppendix.xls

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/CommunitySchoolsAppendix.xls

Remaining funds will be awarded to the other applications with the

highest scores until all funds are expended. However, no application

will receive funding if its final average score falls below 65.